Newsome has been with the organization since he was drafted in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the then-Cleveland Browns. He played with the team for 13 years before joining the front office in 1991, working in the scouting department.

He became the Ravens’ director of pro personnel in 1994. After the team moved from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1996, Newsome was promoted to vice president of player personnel. In the first year where Newsome was in charge of the draft, the team picked Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden with the fourth overall selection and linebacker Ray Lewis — who could be elected into the Hall of Fame this weekend — with the 23rd pick.